The Latest from Pastor Steve: A Look at Sunday, April 30, On Spiritual Warfare and Building Update

Rights not to Die For

In New Hampshire, the motto and attitude is "Live Free or Die." That motto originated from a toast by General John Stark on July 31, 1809, and it was officially adopted by NH as the state motto in 1945. It expresses a prevalent attitude not only in NH, but in most of America. In our country, there is a pervasive spirit of being independent, demanding our rights, and wanting to be free to do what we want. This spirit shapes everyone. While there are some positive aspects to this spirit, it has easily degenerated into a selfish, self-centered, only-care-for-me lifestyle.
And it has carried into the church.
The Apostle Paul also faced it with the Christians in early Corinth. Sunday, we are going to see how Paul took his rights and freedoms, and transformed them into something that was for the greatest good, something that can bring us the greatest purpose for our lives, too.
This Sunday, we also are going to have a baptism of four adults. Baptisms are always such a high point for me as we see how God has worked to bring people to faith in Christ. To him be the glory!

The Spiritual Battle Is Alive and Real

These past couple of months have been some of the worst I have gone through in my 35 years of ministry. Things have not working out in some key areas and new challenges have been coming that hadn't been anticipated. It had reached a point where I was discouraged; I didn't want to look at my email and have to read about some problems; I didn't want to have to sit through another meeting that was going to be difficult; frankly, I didn't even want to show up at church. There were times when I thought of someone who worked third shift on an assembly line and wondered if there might be a job opening I could apply for. Throughout this time, I still read the Bible, I still prayed. I obviously came to church. Fortunately I felt carried by our worship team to focus on God and how great he is, on Jesus and what a wonderful Savior he is and what he has so graciously given me. Sunday worship was a much-needed spiritual pit stop.
But, the weeks continued on with a sense of frustration, of helplessness at seeing some things happen, especially with our building program that were just out-of-control and no one's fault. I came home recently after another meeting, with some chest pain. Driving home I was trying to think of what the signs were of a heart attack. I couldn't think of any except chest pain. When I mentioned it to my wife, her initial response was to want to drive me to the hospital. I figured there had to be more signs than just one, so, I slept on it--or tried to sleep. No pain in the morning, so I'm guessing it was at worst, stress-related.
The next day, my Leadership Journal arrived, a journal for Christian leaders. The theme of this issue stood boldly in red letters against a dark background: "Spiritual Warfare: How to respond when the battle comes to you." In the editor's comments, he talked about how we, as biblical followers of Christ, will read what the Bible says about spiritual warfare, but when it comes to actually believing spiritual warfare actually happens, we become spiritual cynics. Maybe in Africa. Maybe in South America. But here? In America?
Without hesitation or apology, I truly believe this has been happening to me and to others. Pastors interviewed for this issue talked about "atmospheric" changes in their church. Peaceful, unified congregations suddenly broke out in episodes of fear, suspicion, distrust or bitterness. I have seen this here. And then I also thought about Nehemiah's experience with building the wall of Jerusalem. No sooner did things start to move ahead than the enemy showed up to try and stop the work. They resorted to fear tactics, ridicule and insults to try to break the spirit of the people into giving up what God had put into Nehemiah's heart. And they kept it up until the wall was completed.
I reflected on these things, and thought: "If we were in the midst of a spiritual battle, what would it look like?" There would be a spirit of fear, of frustration, of a sense of helplessness that God can't handle things, that God can't bring whatever is needed to complete the task.
Nehemiah responded in the best way: he prayed. He took their insults and let the Lord deal with them. And he kept the faith. He responded to his enemies in the first round of attacks by saying to them, "The God of Heaven will give us success." (Neh. 2:20).
Nehemiah was a great leader. But more importantly, Nehemiah's God was a great God. And that great God is still the GREAT God. I consider myself very average. I'm an average Christian, an average pastor, an average husband, an average father. There is not much about me--as everyone who knows me understands--that is anything but average. But I began to realize that average is OK when God, who is great, is working in me. I can't make a couple of hundred thousand dollars suddenly appear to help us with our building or budget. I can't instill the confidence and hope in hearts that are frustrated or fearful. But I can trust in God. I can point out to God where and how I think the enemy is working and I can do what the Bible says to do: "Stand firm in the Lord and in his mighty power."
I am nothing. God is everything. I have nothing that is going to help in this battle. But I put on the spiritual armor that God has supplied me with, and, with faith in God, I want to join hands together with everyone else as we face our challenges.
Challenges are opportunities for God to work, to shape me to become a better follower of Christ, a better pastor to my flock, a better husband and father. And I choose to trust God as I look ahead, no matter what I presently see with my human eyes. I also eagerly ask for prayer for myself and for our church as I and we continue to be God's people, with a deep desire to honor God and bring him glory.
The battle is real. But so is our God!

Inside Work on the Building

This week and last week, things were happening on the inside to get ready to start to close up the walls. All the rough electrical work has been done, the plumbers has finished their work to this point. Insulation is going into the walls. The sheet rockers have been working. All of a sudden, the kitchen, the bathrooms and the lobby is looking like something is there. Enjoy a few pictures below of the progress.